


Hunter's Moon

by SadistiKitteh



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-31
Updated: 2017-03-31
Packaged: 2018-10-13 03:20:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10505358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SadistiKitteh/pseuds/SadistiKitteh
Summary: Malik and Ryou argue, but this time Malik might have gone too far. When Ryou doesn’t come home after a bad argument, Malik goes out to find him. However, Ryou might not be ready to come back with him.





	

_“I don’t trust them…They want to keep you away from me…They’ll take one look at us and think I’m hurting you. And your ‘friends’ only seem to care about you when you’re hurt!”_

Malik stood at the balcony of the apartment, watching the road without paying attention. He didn’t really grasp how much his words hurt Ryou until seeing the shock in his eyes for himself; he didn’t want to admit that he had really hurt Ryou this time. But as he saw the last of the sun’s light slip behind the mountains and feel the chill of the evening wind on his arms, the severity of what he’d done started to settle on him. Malik gripped the mug in his hand, filled with a tea Ryou often made for them both after calming down from a fight. He knew Ryou’s friends were important to him, but he didn’t trust Yugi and the others.

Malik was sure they felt the same about him.

He turned to go inside, placing his untouched mug by the other he’d set out for Ryou. The heaviness in Malik’s chest frightened him, as did the tears he felt on his cheeks. He rubbed his face vigorously like he was wiping away dirt and grabbed his coat. He needed Ryou there, because he couldn’t handle the things he felt on his own. The emotions he felt confused and angered him, but having Ryou not be around to help him understand it all only made it worse. ‘I need him…I have no one else, no one else sees me like Ryou does.’

\--–

_“Yugi’s just worried about me! Please, just talk to them. You don’t have to be friends with them, just show them you care about me too…I’m tired of asking them to just trust me…”_

Ryou had stopped walking when he reached the park, resting on a bench while watching the sun go down. He didn’t want to think about what Malik had said anymore, or second guess his friend’s intentions. Ryou wanted so badly to talk with Yugi, but this was one thing he couldn’t bring up. He didn’t believe Yugi would believe him if he tried explaining that Malik was different now. He didn’t want to force Malik to talk to them just to prove a point. But it was so hard to keep his relationship a secret or explain over and over to his friends why sometimes Malik would follow their group just out of sight.

Ryou didn’t realize how late it had gotten until he realized the sun was gone; the only lights visible in the park being the moon and the lamps dotted around the park’s pathway. He knew Malik would be worried about him despite the fight, but he wasn’t ready to face him yet. Ryou pulled his coat around him more, feeling the air get colder as it got darker. He wondered if Yugi would let him stay with them for a while, though he did worry Yugi would ask questions. He didn’t want to defend his boyfriend right now either, or their relationship; all he wanted was just to forget everything and enjoy the moonlight.

But Ryou just couldn’t stop thinking about Malik’s words, or how the anger faded so fast from Malik’s face when he’d grabbed his coat. He hadn’t been paying attention to it much because the shock of what Malik had said, how deeply it dug into his insecurities, only that it made him want to leave. ‘Maybe he didn’t know it’s what I was worried about it…or how true it is, at least for the others,’ Ryou thought, eyes gazing now more at the illuminated scar on his hand, ‘I’m not bloody helpless, I can protect myself… I don’t need my friends to save me…I don’t need Malik to protect me.’

He decided he’d tell Malik just that once he got home. He would make the tea that helped him keep a level head, have Malik sit with him and explain himself and that his friends are important to him regardless of what Malik thinks of them. Ryou stood then, heading out of the park to head home.

And then he felt two strong arms wrap round him and pull him back. Ryou yelped and squirmed, kicking the person’s legs and trying to push the arms away. He only stopped squirming hearing the familiar voice behind him whimper his name. Ryou froze, unable to process just how meek the voice sounded then. “…Malik?”

Malik let Ryou down gently, but refused to let Ryou go. Ryou turned to see Malik’s face a mess of smudged kohl. “Malik–”

“Don’t leave me. Don’t leave me alone, I don’t have friends to help me and I don’t like this feeling, Ryou. I hate feeling weak and I….can’t handle feeling weak!”

Ryou gently brushed away the new tears that came from Malik’s eyes, unused to seeing Malik’s composure broken down. He pulled Malik’s head down towards his, resting his forehead on Malik’s. “You don’t have to be strong all the time, Malik…I wanted you to meet my friends because of this…if something happened to me, I want them to be able to help you too.”

Malik didn’t respond, but just closed his eyes and held Ryou tighter to his body. He was too tired to argue about it anymore. The feeling of relief he felt finding Ryou safe exhausted him. His emotions exhausted him. After a moment of hugging Ryou, he spoke again. “They won’t like me, Ryou. They see me like they see that spirit, If they didn’t, this wouldn’t be a fight.”

Ryou frowned, looking up at Malik’s solemn expression. He hated that Malik was right, and pulled away from Malik’s arms. The pain on Malik’s face hurt to see, but he wanted to show Malik how much this meant to him. “You stalk us everywhere, they think you’re being possessive. And…and that’s what you’re doing.” Ryou looked away, hugging his chest, “I am safe with them, Malik. I wouldn’t leave you because they told me too. But I’m tired of assuring them you just want me safe. I know you do it because you hate being alone, the fact you waited so long even now shows you can be alone.”

Malik’s arms lowered, along with his head. He hated how easily Ryou saw into him, but the idea of letting his friends see through him just as easily felt worse. Ryou put a hand on his arm and Malik’s eyes met Ryou’s.

“I won’t choose you over them, or them over you. But if they try to pick on you or hurt you, I can protect you. I don’t care if they still think you’re hurting me–”

“But I did hurt you.”

Ryou stopped and just stared at Malik. He didn’t want to start another fight, especially not in the middle of the park at night. Malik looked over Ryou’s face, seeing him struggling to either refute or let go of the subject. It was clear this fight wasn’t over and wouldn’t be. He wasn’t even sure he was sorry for hurting Ryou other than the feeling in his chest that he couldn’t name. Malik reached his hand to hold Ryou’s, snapping Ryou out of his thoughts for a moment. “I made the tea…at the apartment. It is likely cold by now, but I couldn’t drink it without you.”

A smile grew on Ryou’s lips, but then disappeared again. He looked at Malik’s hand in his, then took the other decidedly. The look of sadness in Ryou’s eyes shocked Malik, and for a moment he feared the worst. That he was too late.

“Malik, I’m going to go sleep over at Yugi’s. I just…I need more time to myself,” Ryou could immediately see Malik was panicking and gave him a gentle kiss to hopefully keep him at ease, “It’s just for tonight. I’ll come back tomorrow, and then I’ll make us fresh tea.”

“You won’t come back. You’re choosing them.”

“Malik, I’m not. I swear, I just…I want to prove to you that I’m not. I’ll come back.” Ryou wrapped his arms around Malik’s shoulders and hugged him tightly, “I’ll call you when I get there, okay? Go back home, Malik…I’ll bring home something to eat in the morning.”

Malik nodded, but felt numb all over. He held Ryou close to him like it would be the last time he would be able to. “What if something happens?” Malik mumbled, stroking his hand over Ryou’s hair.

Ryou gave Malik one last kiss, letting his hand rest on Malik’s cheek. “You’ve followed us to the Game Shop before, just ask for me if you’re worried. I know you can be on your own for a night, I just need some time to think. Please, Malik…”

Malik’s shoulders slumped, then he slowly let go of Ryou. His emotions were too many and tiring. He nodded and watched Ryou turn to leave. He admired how the moonlight reflected of Ryou’s hair, and just gave a weak smile when Ryou turned to look at him. “I love you,” Malik said softly.

Malik couldn’t move or look away from Ryou, waiting only until he turned a corner to walk back home. The air felt colder around him as he walked. Something in Ryou’s words of comfort only worsened the feeling in his chest. It was only then he realized the word for it; guilt. He was afraid to trust Ryou to stay with him even when his friends told him not to, and now he had to trust Ryou that he would come home. When he did return to the apartment, it felt colder. quiet except for the sound of him putting away his coat and dumping the cold tea in the sink.

Malik grabbed the phone off it’s stand and sat on the couch, setting it in front of him. He wouldn’t be able to sleep through the night without knowing Ryou was safe.

**Author's Note:**

> An entry to datacow40‘s contest with the song Howl by Florence + the Machine.


End file.
